Friends with Money (2006)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Nicole Holofcener

Writer (WGA):

Nicole Holofcener (written by)

Release Date:

7 April 2006 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

After she quits her lucrative job, Olivia finds herself unsure about her future and her relationships with her successful and wealthy friends.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Wealthy | Maid | Als | Dinner

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Catherine Keener	...	Christine
Jason Isaacs	...	David
Timm Sharp	...	Richard
Joan Cusack	...	Franny
Greg Germann	...	Matt
Hailey Noelle Johnson	...	Tammy
Simon McBurney	...	Aaron
Frances McDormand	...	Jane
Jake Cherry	...	Wyatt
Jennifer Aniston	...	Olivia
Bob Stephenson	...	Marty
Marin Hinkle	...	Maya
Scott Caan	...	Mike
Troy Ruptash	...	Brad
Elizabeth Keener	...	Lancome Saleswoman

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content and brief drug use.

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | UK:15 | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Finland:K-11 | Sweden:Btl | Singapore:M18 | Germany:o.Al. | USA:R (certificate #42071) | Argentina:13 | Brazil:14 | France:U | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:AL | South Africa:13LS

Filming Locations:

855 S. Serrano Street, Koreatown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

This Is That Productions

Trivia:

The dinner at the beginning of the film was shot in a real restaurant in Los Angeles. The film crew damaged the interior, leaving marks all over the walls. That scene was the first in which all the key characters were filming together at the same time.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Olivia follows Mike into a restaurant, clearly visible behind her is a Grip/Gaffer Flag on a stand blocking light in front of the window. The flag is noticeable in two shots and disappears in one.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Richard: So the corrugated metal not only reflects the beauty of the common, off-the-shelf material but also emphasizes the invisible line between the old and the new construction.
Christine: Wait. There'll be a line?
Richard: It's invisible.
David: Just let him finish.
Christine: Oh, sorry.

Movie Connections:

References "Nip/Tuck" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Loungin'

The plight of the rich

This is a movie that has contradictions all over the place. Are they happy or not? Is he gay or not? Am I to feel any sympathies for these people or not? Determined or annoying? There is really much to admire about this study of the well-to-do citizens of the Westside of Los Angeles. Unlike "Crash", this one gives us the positive and negative sides of what these people can be. Those of us who are familiar with the area can recognize how important image is to those with money and how their perceptions are so different from the rest of the world. We try to emulate them, but if we don't have the resources, it isn't possible. For instance, this is a point that is repeatedly made by the main characters in the film. We can afford it, and you (most of the audience) can't. It's hard to relate to that type of character.

What we can appreciate is some very fine performances; from Cusack's very restrained socialite, a woman who seems to be unable to cope with the wealth she owns. She appears to be normal, but she's pretty much limited by her standing. Her husband, a lesser character, appears to be more true to his social class, and he makes no apologies for his social position. Then, we have McDormand's neurotic designer, who is now losing control and is sinking into some very strange psychological episodes. There is not much of an explanation, and it's very frustrating to be amused or concerned by her problems. Still, McDormand does a very capable and entertaining job with her character. The standout is Anniston, who normally doesn't register much in her "star" turns, but here, as she did in "The Good Girl", she shines because she manages to keep her character real and believable. Her dissatisfaction with her actual situation is a cross to bear, and her bad luck in her relationships is something we can find at least believable. She knows these characters and has learned to survive in their immediacy, but she truly understands she will always be an outsider.

One of the most frustrating aspects in this film is how short and underdeveloped it seems by the time it is over. Maybe, as I mentioned before, it remains true to its ambivalent nature. Here is what might have started as an in-depth analysis of what it is to be rich, but in the end feels like a sloppy job. It moved well, shined at moments, and suddenly, it stalled. Is there a sequel in the works? I would certainly like to know where this is all going to end.